The Coalition of Civil Society Groups against Terrorism in Nigeria has described Tuesday’s call by some elements in the Nigerian Senate, demanding the sack of all the Service Chiefs in the country as unpatriotic, and a serious attempt at demoralizing the nation’s armed forces.
In a statement issued at the end of a meeting of all affiliated organizations of the group in Ibadan, and jointly signed by its Convener and Secretary, Comrade Odeyemi Oladimeji and Barrister Atani John respectively, the group faulted the inability of Senators, who spearheaded the call for the sack of the service chiefs, to acknowledge the efforts and landmark achievements, that have been made by the Nigerian military in the fight against insurgency, over the past few months.As patriotic Nigerians, we have observed the series of a well-funded and politically orchestrated falsehood and campaign of calumny against our Military especially the Nigerian Army from some politicians from Benue and Taraba States, now this highly insidious and provocative attacks and calls for the sacking of our nation’s security chiefs by some persons within the Nigerian Senate. While we have it on good authority and it’s an open secret that some unpatriotic politicians, are behind the recruitment and arming of these various ethnic militias terrorising our various communities. We also strongly condemn the attempt to politicise our nation’s security and the patriotism and selflessness of our service chiefs and their personel.” the statement added.
The group warned the Senate, not to allow itself, to fall into the trap of some desperate politicians who are sympathisers of the dreaded Boko Haram and other insurgent group. We are seriously concerned, that the esteemed Red chamber of the National Assembly, will deliberately fail to acknowledge the decisive victories of our armed forces against Boko Haram and other insurgent groups, resulting in the killing and capturing alive of terrorist elements, in a manner unprecedented, since the nation began the war against terrosims and other forms of insurgency. The group therefore call on President Buhari and Nigerians , to ignore the call by some of this self serving Senators , while also urging Nigerians to support the nation’s security agencies, in tackling the ugly trend of violence presently being witnessed in some parts of the country. It also urged the Federal government to improve its financial obligations to the nation’s armed forces, in order to improve their capacity, towards effectively tackling the unfortunate crisis, being witnessed in some parts of the Country.